As we pass from the lobby to the meeting room, we observe the teamwork, compassion, and dedication of the professional staff, dedicated volunteers, and grateful Participants.

We had taken the Social Work Assistance Team (SWAT) course, but we were still a bit apprehensive. How could we help a Participant improve their life? As it turns out, most of us throughout our lives develop the very skills that ROC Participants often lack. We realized we were in a position to help!

We work with a man, “John.” He has problems with anger, risky behavior, health issues, goal and priority setting, budgeting, and other areas. When we came on the scene, he was already being helped by the social workers and was showing measurable progress. But by spending one-on-one time with him, he has gone farther, faster.

Mike can see the progress “John” has made with his assistance. For Mike, there’s no better gift.

In one memorable day last March, we helped him complete his taxes, initialized a Roth IRA retirement plan, finalized a car loan, picked up a “new” car, returned his rental car, and stopped to take him out for a fast-food lunch.

Slowly, we have gained his trust. This has made a big difference. In the last two years, he has acquired better decision-making skills, remained within his budget, become more independent, and identified future goals and a plan for how to achieve them.

There have been times we stumbled or were uncertain about how to proceed. But the ROC staff and other volunteers were there to guide us. It just all fits together. The family of Participants, professionals, and volunteers make the ROC “rock”.

… And walking back down the steps we have a smile in our hearts.

Diane and Mike Hart, SWAT Volunteers

Sometimes ripples turn into tsunamis!

]]>https://theroc.co/2019/01/11/roc-ripples-1-9-19/feed/0Rural Outreach Center receives Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation granthttps://theroc.co/2018/12/11/rural-outreach-center-receives-cattaraugus-region-community-foundation-grant/
https://theroc.co/2018/12/11/rural-outreach-center-receives-cattaraugus-region-community-foundation-grant/#respondTue, 11 Dec 2018 21:36:46 +0000https://theroc.co/?p=5766The Rural Outreach Center (ROC), a nonprofit organization located at 730 Olean Road in East Aurora that helps the rural poor transition to self-sufficiency through a variety of programs, was recently awarded a $2,000 grant by the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation.

The funding is provided for services related to meeting the basic human needs of those who come to the ROC from Cattaraugus County. Currently, the ROC provides winter readiness (coats, boots, etc.) and school backpacks to over 100 schoolchildren as well as counseling and other wraparound services for almost 50 participants from Cattaraugus County. To ensure access to services, the ROC also provides transportation for a number of Cattaraugus County participants to their facility in East Aurora.

The mission of the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation is to assist community members in their philanthropic endeavors to help others, thus enriching life in our community. Established in 1994, the Community Foundation is growing good by connecting donors to the causes they care about most in our region. Grants from the foundation support many areas including education, scholarships, health care, the arts, community development, human services and youth development.

For more information on the Rural Outreach Center, please call 240-2220.

]]>https://theroc.co/2018/12/11/rural-outreach-center-receives-cattaraugus-region-community-foundation-grant/feed/0ROC Ripples — 12.4.18https://theroc.co/2018/12/04/roc-ripples-12-4-18/
https://theroc.co/2018/12/04/roc-ripples-12-4-18/#commentsTue, 04 Dec 2018 19:54:49 +0000https://theroc.co/?p=5761“What do we live for if not to make life less difficult for each other?”— George Eliot

During this holiday season we are warmed by the love of family and friends and the feeling of gratitude for all we have. At the ROC it is the perfect time to reflect on the extraordinary generosity of time and treasure so many have shared to help make life less difficult for others.

100% of the children ROC serves have experienced trauma. Your support is critical for the long-term outcomes for these children.

Our volunteers, donors and Participants have made extraordinary strides in changing lives and we are indeed humbled and encouraged by the support we have received.

This year donations have increased significantly as have the number of donors. This increased support has enabled us to meet the ever growing needs of those living in poverty in our rural community. I guess you could say, success breeds success.

Allow me to share a few statistics with you that demonstrate this point. In 2018, the ROC has:

Increased visits by 225 percent

Improved housing for 63 percent of our participants

Improved the health status of 54 percent of our participants

Improved emotional stability for 71 percent of our participants

Added Play Therapy, ROC U and Kids U to our program curriculum

Your commitment allows the ROC to help Participants learn the skills they need to attain their goal of self-sufficiency.

Sadly, every child that comes into the ROC has experienced some kind of trauma, often unimaginable trauma, so the addition of these programs is critical to the long-term outcomes for these children.

All we have accomplished is due to the generosity of people like you. Philanthropy is the lifeblood of the ROC. In short, we could not have done any of this without your support. From the bottom of my heart and on behalf of all those whose lives you have helped to change, please accept my heartfelt thanks.

Warmest holiday greetings to you and your family.

Frank Cerny
Executive Director

Sometimes ripples turn into tsunamis!

]]>https://theroc.co/2018/12/04/roc-ripples-12-4-18/feed/2Rural Outreach Center earns grant for Babies ROC pilot programhttps://theroc.co/2018/12/04/rural-outreach-center-earns-grant-for-babies-roc-pilot-program/
https://theroc.co/2018/12/04/rural-outreach-center-earns-grant-for-babies-roc-pilot-program/#respondTue, 04 Dec 2018 13:09:09 +0000https://theroc.co/?p=5758The Rural Outreach Center (ROC), a nonprofit organization based in East Aurora that helps the rural poor transition to self-sufficiency through a variety of programs, was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York. The Health Foundation is an independent private foundation that advocates for continuous improvement in health and health care by investing in the people and organizations that serve young children and older adults.

Funds will support Babies ROC, a social/emotional pilot program modeled after the Rural Outreach Center’s successful ROC U program for adults and Kids ROC program. Babies ROC will be specifically developed for children up to the age of five. The foundation of the program will be weekly parent/child theraplay sessions using normal activities to enhance child-parent attachment and promote sensory stimulation and motor development.

“For infants to children three years of age, we envision a program where participants will attend supervised Parent and Me play time twice a week at the ROC. Where desired, an additional theraplay session will also be scheduled,” said Frank Cerny, executive director of the ROC. “For children three to five years of age, ROC will provide access to local preschool programs through scholarships. And again, where desired, additional theraplay sessions will be scheduled.”

For more information on the Rural Outreach Center, located at 730 Olean Road, please visit www.theroc.co or call 240-2220.

]]>https://theroc.co/2018/12/04/rural-outreach-center-earns-grant-for-babies-roc-pilot-program/feed/0Rural Outreach Center in East Aurora is a Code Blue sitehttps://theroc.co/2018/12/03/rural-outreach-center-in-east-aurora-is-a-code-blue-site/
https://theroc.co/2018/12/03/rural-outreach-center-in-east-aurora-is-a-code-blue-site/#commentsMon, 03 Dec 2018 20:24:15 +0000https://theroc.co/?p=5755The Rural Outreach Center (ROC) at 730 Olean Road in East Aurora has been designated as a Code Blue site for southern Erie County. From December 2018 through March 2019, the facility will be open to individuals without safe shelter any time the temperature, including wind chill, falls below 32 degrees.

The ROC’s Code Blue service area includes Alden, Angola, Aurora, Boston, Brant, Colden, Collins, Concord, Eden, Elma, Evans, Gowanda, Hamburg, Holland, Marilla, North Collins, Orchard Park, Sardinia, Springville, Wales and West Seneca. Hours will be from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Showers will be available in the morning and the facility can accommodate individuals with pets.

Van service will be available from 8 to 11 p.m. to pick individuals up and take them to the warming site. Return transportation will also be provided in the morning, and breakfast will be served prior to departure. On Code Blue nights, the ROC van will make a regular circular route throughout southern Erie County.

Job Description: The ROC is a growing organization serving the rural population. Our model of wrap-around support helps individuals and families work toward self-sufficiency. We offer general counseling, mental health services, play therapy, and other services through partners.

This person will conduct individual counseling sessions, play therapy sessions and some case management in an office setting. Work with individuals to establish goals and objectives with the ultimate goal to reach a higher level of stability and independence.Applicant should be open to running family and group sessions. Must be a team player with good problem-solving skills and professionalism. Willing to take on other duties as requested.

This person should have a passion for working in rural communities; familiarity with services in our rural areas is desirable. Must have good communication skills, computer skills, and ability to work as a team player and work independently.

Driver’s license is required; will be reimbursed for mileage. Potential for growth. Supervision by LCSW offered towards advancement in licensing. May be asked to submit to a background check and substance abuse screening before being hired.

Candidate Qualifications: A BSW with experience will be the minimum educational requirement for this position, with a MSW and licensure preferred.

In my work at Independent Health as Director of Membership Operations, accountability is essential. The ROC’s model of accountability is one of the big reasons I agreed to become a board member and devote my time to them.

The ROC tracks and quantifies the outcomes of Participants in their program – ROC U. We believe it’s important for friends of ROC to know their support is making a measurable difference in people’s lives.

The ROC’s innovative model rests on the ROC’s mission of “Assist, Empower, and Elevate.” There is a reason we call the people we help “Participants;” it’s because they are truly engaged, they are participating, in improving their lives.

At Intake, Participant’s entering ROC’s program are assessed on a five-point scale on each of the Social Determinants of Health – the measures above. Quarterly, we review and check the progress of each of our Participants.

We are very excited to share the program’s results for 2017!
The chart above clearly shows the improvement made by Participants who have been in the ROC U program for at least a year.

Of ROC Participants who have chosen as a goal:Improve Housing – 63% have moved up at least one point. Improve Health – 53% have moved up at least one point. Emotional Stability – 50% have improved at least one point.

It is important to note that moving up one point on this scale is a significant achievement.

It takes the hard work of our Participants, the dedication of our staff, and your generous and strong support to make that possible.

These Social Determinant of Health measures are valuable predictors of the health of our community, so I know how important results such as these are. This proves clearly why the ROC is a critical community organization for Western New York.

And why your support matters.

I support the ROC because I care deeply about the cause, but can I see the results.

]]>https://theroc.co/2018/11/07/roc-ripples-11-7-18/feed/0Rural Outreach Center seeks sponsors for unique music programhttps://theroc.co/2018/10/11/rural-outreach-center-seeks-sponsors-for-unique-music-program/
https://theroc.co/2018/10/11/rural-outreach-center-seeks-sponsors-for-unique-music-program/#respondThu, 11 Oct 2018 19:16:15 +0000https://theroc.co/?p=5598The Rural Outreach Center (ROC), an East Aurora-based nonprofit agency known for guiding participants on a path toward self-sufficiency through a number of specialized programs, has added a unique new musical program to its mix. The program has become so successful in such a short period of time that additional sponsors are now needed to help keep the music playing!

“The ukulele program was something we started in March, in partnership with Limelite Music here in East Aurora,” said Sue Giovino, program manager at the ROC. “We advertised for folks to sponsor a child for $40, which is the cost of a new ukulele, sheet music and tuner. We also have dedicated volunteer teachers from the community who came and taught the class for an hour every week through June. We had eight kids involved in the program that were pretty consistent participants.”

Program volunteers include Barbara Farran, John Lyons, Barb Halvorsen and Don Healy.

New classes, now offered every other week, are starting up again this month, with 15 students interested in the program! As a result, the ROC is reaching out to the community for additional sponsorships. To make a donation, please contact Giovino at 240-2220.

The Rural Outreach Center is located at 730 Olean Road. For more information on its mission and programs, please visit theroc.co.

]]>https://theroc.co/2018/10/11/rural-outreach-center-seeks-sponsors-for-unique-music-program/feed/0ROC Ripples – 10.9.18https://theroc.co/2018/10/10/roc-ripples-10-9-18/
https://theroc.co/2018/10/10/roc-ripples-10-9-18/#respondWed, 10 Oct 2018 19:51:18 +0000https://theroc.co/?p=5593All of us have had a special child tug at our heart. We want the best for them. We want them to have a wonderful life. We want to see them succeed.

And so it is with every child we see at the ROC. They are all so very special in their own way.

100% of the children in programs at the Rural Outreach Center have suffered some sort of trauma that makes future success much more difficult. It will be harder for them to succeed in school, graduate from college, or land a job with which

Your gifts mean the world to them.

to support a family.

Your support allows the ROC to assist, empower, and elevate the adults that walk through our doors seeking help.

But we all know the future lies with the children.

The ROC recognizes the “2Gen” approach to generational poverty – that to break the cycle of poverty you must address the needs of both the adults and the children.

That’s why with your help this month the ROC has launched it’s new children’s umbrella program, Kids ROC!

Kids ROC starts with outcomes for success developed by the Josephson Institute, “Character Counts.” Many schools in the area use this same program to encourage positive traits in their students.

Children in Kids ROC accomplish concrete tasks that are attached to these outcomes and earn “ROC Bucks” which are deposited into their “ROC Bank accounts.” Once a month they are allowed to make a “withdrawal” for an incentive, such as a gift card to Vidler’s or Toy Loft. All children in the program also receive a monthly Book Worm gift certificate to encourage reading and grow their own personal libraries.

From backpacks to snackpacks, it’s all possible because of your support!

So many of you volunteer in one of our children’s programs – reading to preschoolers in our School Readiness program, playing with the kids as their parents attend a ROC U mentoring circle, or buying a child their first set of bed sheets as their SWAT member. You know how much they need you and how vulnerable they are.

Thank you for your generosity to our ROC kids and thank you for your commitment to the future.

Darci Cramer, Ph.D.
Board Member

Sometimes the ripples turn into tsunamis!

]]>https://theroc.co/2018/10/10/roc-ripples-10-9-18/feed/0ROC Ripples – 9.13.18https://theroc.co/2018/09/13/roc-ripples-9-13-18/
https://theroc.co/2018/09/13/roc-ripples-9-13-18/#respondThu, 13 Sep 2018 21:41:53 +0000http://theroc.co/?p=5539I am so excited to update you on ROC’s new program that we’ve developed with your support! This program is very innovative and effective. It’s exactly why I’m so committed to the Rural Outreach Center.

Your support assists Participants as they work toward self-sufficiency.

ROC U is the new umbrella program that coordinates the assistance your support provides to Participants who are working hard to achieve self-sufficiency.

Your commitment has allowed us to assist, empower and elevate our Participants along their path to break the cycle of poverty.

ASSIST
When individuals and families first come to the ROC, they are usually in crisis. Your support means we can assess the situation, offer assistance to stabilize the family, work with them to determine goals, and then craft a Participant Partnership Agreement in which they outline their path to success, and, with your generosity, the help they will receive from the ROC.

EMPOWER
Mentoring circles have empowered Participants with knowledge that can lead to change. So many of you have so generously donated your time and talent to lead our Mentoring Circles. From Finding Financial Freedom, to Learning Healthy Habits, to Parenting, ROC U Mentoring Circles began in March with one Participant. Our last Circle had 11 attendees even though it was the middle of summer and we have MANY more people interested in Circles beginning this fall.

ELEVATE
We track 13 goals with quarterly evaluations. As strong supporters of the ROC, we wanted you to know all your support is paying off! In 2017, our data showed that at least 50% of our Participants have moved at least one step on one scale – with Emotional Stability showing the most improvement.

This is all because of you — your support, and your commitment to break the cycle of generational rural poverty.